Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or the characters

Previously:

Laughing, Teddy swung his little sister around and hugged her tightly, ignoring the fact that the whole hall was watching them.

"Congrats," he whispered to Tara, as they finally sat down.

Tara just grinned happily and settled back to watch the rest of the sorting.

The following weeks seemed to pass in a blur. Skye was so busy with trying to keep up homework and Quidditch, not to mention sneaking out at least every second night to see Draco.

Skye found herself having less and less time to simply relax and could often be seen working in the library during any break she had. That was where Rhia found her, surrounding by books and scribbling furiously on a piece of parchment.

"What cha working on?" Rhia asked, moving some of Skye's books so that she could sit down.

"Bloody Defence," Skye muttered. "Stupid Remus marks me harder than anyone cause he reckons I already should know most of this."

Rhia looked at her friend sympathetically. "That'd suck," she said. "But I was wondering if you had time to help me out a little?"

Skye looked up from her writing. "Sure, I could do with a break," she said. "What's up?"

Rhia avoided Skye's eyes, a little embarrassedly. "It's about a boy," she confessed. "I need some advice."

Instantly, Skye's eyes lit up. "Tell me," she demanded.

Just as Rhia was about to launch into a description of her problem, Iris sat down.

"Hey Iri," Skye said. "What're you here for?"

"I need to speak to you, actually," Iris said, looking at her sister. "I need some help."

"Ooh," Rhia said, grinning. "What sort of help?"

"Boy help," Iris glared at Rhia. "And not from you."

"Ouch," Rhia said. "I'm hurt."

"Yeah, yeah," Iris rolled her eyes, used to Rhia's dramatics. "So you going to help me or what Skye?"

"Course I will," Skye said. "But I kinda gotta help Rhia first. Her being here before you and all that."

"No problem," Iris said. "I'll wait. Need me to do anything for you?"

"You serious?" Skye asked.

"Sure," Iris replied. "Better than sitting her doing nothing."

"You're the best Iri," Skye gushed. "I'm writing an essay on Inferi for Remus."

"Damn," Iris smiled. "Lucky you."

"Tell me about it," It was Skye's turn to roll her eyes.

Rhia clicked her tongue impatiently. "Alright, alright," Skye muttered. "I'm coming."

"I'll read what you've got and see what I can do," Iris reassured her sister. "Go help Miss Impatient over there."

"Thanks Iri," Skye said gratefully.

Her little sister had somehow managed to get the smart genes from both her parents and the hardworking ones from their mother. Skye knew that anything Iris wrote would be as good as, if not better, than what she could write herself.

Skye gestured to an empty table near her own. "Let's go over here," she suggested brightly to Rhia. "So we can have a bit of privacy."

The two girls made their way over to the table and sat down. "So," Skye said, leaning back comfortably on her chair. "Tell Auntie Skye all your problems."

She smirked as Rhia blushed faintly, but did not reply.

"Come on," Skye coaxed. "I'm not going to tell anyone."

"There's this boy," Rhia said finally. "And I really like him and I think he likes me too. I mean, he'll talk to me in the hallways and walk with me to class. We'll eat lunch together and he'll ask me questions if he doesn't get stuff in class. He flirts with me and I flirt back. He seems to know every little thing about me, like he's kinda been watching me for a while, but not in a creepy-stalkerish way," Rhia explained.

"So what's the problem?" Skye asked confusedly. "Sounds like things are going great between you then."

"But that's just the thing!" Rhia exclaimed exasperatedly. "Things are only going great. I really want to go out with him, like properly. To Hogsmeade of something. I keep hinting at the upcoming weekend but he just doesn't ask me!"

"Hmm, I see," Skye said, pondering what Rhia had told her. "So why don't you just ask him?"

The solution seemed pretty simple to Skye.

"Ask him?" Rhia repeated incredulously. "You can't be serious. I can't ask a guy to Hogsmeade. Guys are supposed to ask out girls!"

"So its not traditional," Skye shrugged. "What's the big idea? You've always been a little contemporary in your style. That's you."

"Yeah but I've always been the one who's been asked out," Rhia defended. "I'll look desperate if I ask him out."

"Rhia, look," Skye said, leaning forward. "Hogsmeade is this weekend right? Maybe he's just nervous that you'll reject him. If you just ask him, he'll say yes. It'll probably by easier for him if you do. Imagine how frightened he'd be asking you. You're the perfect, beautiful, prefect Rhiannon Black with an older brother that can be frightfully overprotective and that's not to mention Teddy, Harry and Jono too. That's a lot to be nervous about."

Rhia thought about that for a moment. "You have a point," she admitted finally. "But I still don't want to ask him. It just wouldn't seem right you know?"

Sighing, Skye nodded. She thought that might be the case with Rhia. As outgoing and self-confident as Rhia was, she was quite a traditional romantic at heart. But then again, Skye grinned to herself, what kind of girl wasn't?

"So how about this then," Skye compromised. "Just ask him casually."

"Casually?" Rhia echoed.

"Yeah," Skye nodded in excitement. "Go up to him and be all, so what're you doing for Hogsmeade, etcetera, etcetera. Then, after he answers say something like, well I'm just going with my friends too or whatever. Want to meet up for a Butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks around 1 or something? Then, you'll be able to meet up casually and maybe you can wander around for the rest of the trip with him. You never know. Talk to your friends and get them to ditch you casually after you meet up so it ends up being just you and him."

"That's a really good idea!" Rhia exclaimed loudly, causing Madame Pince, the librarian, to shush them angrily ("This is a library, not a chat room!").

"Seriously, though," Rhia said, lowering her voice. "I think I'll do that. Thanks Skye, you're the best!"

"No problem," Skye replied. "Don't get up to anything I wouldn't!"

"Oh, so anything's a go then?" Rhia asked, cheekily.

Skye laughed. "Later Rhia."

"See ya Skye, thanks again."

Rhia left the library in a swish of her cloak. Skye was secretly relieved that Rhia had finally seemed to get over Anthony Goldstein, but in all honesty, Rhia moving on was exceptionally probable. Rhia was quite like her father in the way that she dated. She had a crush and flirted with him. That led to one of two results. The first was that she was asked out and went quite happily until she got bored with him and moved on. The second was that she was asked out and it was only then that Rhia realised that it just wasn't going to work and refused, crushing the poor boy's hopes of ever getting a date with The Rhia Black.

It wasn't often that Rhia had a crush that came to nothing, such as Anthony Goldstein. Rhia was gorgeous, and she flaunted it, making her exceptionally hard to miss. He was, Skye estimated, only the second boy to ever either not realise that she liked him or just not like her back enough to ask her out. These types of crushes were usually long term for Rhia and always ended in a broken heart on Rhia's behalf which Skye then had to find the pieces of and, of course, put back together.

It was best, Skye decided, that when a boy didn't ask out Rhia and instead asked out another girl, that Rhia found another crush. Sure, it sounded heartless, but it was much easier for Skye to deal with. She was better with getting guys than dealing with broken hearts, probably since she had never had one of her own. Skye's own philosophy was to break them before they could break you.

That off her chest, Skye headed back to her table to help Iris. However, Iris wasn't the only one sitting at the table when Skye headed back. Harry too, was sitting there, a light blush lighting up his face.

"Well, well, well," Skye said mockingly. "You actually know where the library is?"

"Shut it, Skye," Harry muttered. "I need your help."

"Of course you do," Skye said. "That's the only reason you'd come into the library for me."

Harry scowled. "Forget it," he mumbled, getting up. "I shouldn't have come."

Harry left the library, leaving two confused girls looking after him. Skye frowned at the strange behaviour of her twin.

"What's up with him?" Iris asked. "I haven't seen him act so awkward since, well, since ever!"

"Yeah," Skye said quietly. "I know."

There was a moment of pondering silence before Skye turned to eye her little sister seriously. "Explain to me your problem."

Iris hesitated for a second, before remembering that it was her sister she was talking to. And Skye wouldn't dream of telling anybody.

"I like Dan," she said bluntly.

Skye gaped at her sister. "Daniel Lupin?" Skye chocked out.

"How many Dan's do we know?" Iris asked impatiently. "Of course Daniel Lupin."

"Wow," Skye said, still thoroughly shocked. "I wasn't expecting that."

After taking a moment to wrap her head around the fact that Iris (her little sister!), liked a boy that she had known her whole life, Skye finally asked, "So what's wrong with that?"

Assessing Daniel mentally, Skye could find nothing wrong with him. His golden, floppy hair was quite like his father's though his bright eyes clearly belonged to his mother. Unfortunately for Dan, he had not inherited his mother's special Metamorphmagus ability like the rest of his brother's and sister's, a fact which he was quite sour about.

"So, your problem?" Skye prompted when Iris didn't reply.

"He's Daniel Lupin!" Iris suddenly said, in a rush of adrenaline. "We've known each other since forever! We've always been friends and we still are. I love our friendship; it means the world to me. Even though we're not as close since coming to Hogwarts, like you and Ri. But still, I don't want to jeopardize our friendship but I really, really, really like him! I just," Iris paused. "I just think it might destroy everything if we start going out and then break up. It'll be too awkward. Anyway," Iris rolled her eyes. "I don't think he likes me in that way. In fact, I'd be surprised if he even realises I'm a girl!"

Skye, who had been silent so far through Iris' triad, suddenly spoke up.

"Come on, Iri," Skye said. "You're beautiful and funny and smart. Of course he's going to notice that you've grown up!"

Iris snorted.

"It's true," Skye insisted. "Can you keep a secret?"

Eagerly, Iris nodded. Skye lowered her voice and leant towards her sister.

"I caught him staring at you this summer when we got together for dinner," Skye whispered. "That's why he was distracted during the Quidditch game. He was too busy watching you."

Iris looked at her sister, her heart thumping wildly. "Seriously?" she asked, a little breathless.

Skye nodded. "Course!" she said. "I wouldn't lie to you."

"Do you think he likes me though?" Iris frowned. "Like, really likes me?"

Skye shrugged. "I haven't been watching him all that closely, to be honest," she said. "But I can start for you Iri. Observing and what not. But I think it would be better for you to start making some moves."

Iris grinned. "I like the sound of that," she said. "Please do continue."

"Just starting flirting with him a bit," Skye explained. "Not too much though. And try and drop subtle hints."

"How?" Iris tilted her head.

"Well, you know how he hates that he can't change his appearance and, more to the point, his hair?" Skye waited until her sister nodded before continuing. "Just whenever he starts complaining start saying things that could be interpreted in either a friendly way or an I-like-you kind of way."

"Like what?" Iris said, looking interested.

"Like," Skye thought for a moment. "Something similar too, I dunno I think brown hair is pretty sexy myself."

Iris wrinkled her nose. "That's not something I would say though," she said. "He'll start thinking I'm retarded."

"Okay then," Skye thought again. "Try, brown hair is the most sort after hair colour in the world. I dunno what you're complaining about myself."

"That's good," Iris grinned. "How about, did you know more girls like guys with brown hair then any other colour?"

Skye grinned back at her sister. "I have taught you well," she said solemnly. "Now be gone! I have work to do."

Laughing at her sister's antics, Iris hugged her. "Thanks sis," she said.

"No problem," Skye smirked. "Now go get him Iri!"

Blushing, Iris left the library and leaving Skye to smile happily. Iris's boy problems were much simpler than Rhia's to solve. While Rhia had to have every boy she ever crushed on, Iris was just happy to go with the flow and see what happened. It wasn't too often that she had a serious crush so when she did, Skye quite enjoyed helping her out. She knew that if nothing came from it, Iris wouldn't get too upset about it.

However, Skye also saw that there was something a little more to Iris's crush on Daniel then she was letting on. Skye smirked evilly to herself; it was time to observe the pair closer.

A/N Well, I'm not so sure that I like this chapter all that much but hey...who am I to judge? You're the ones I should be asking so, press that review button and let me know what you think!